The downwards spiral
by sez101
Summary: Something wasn't right! It went unspoken around the cabin as the plane suddenly dropped in altitude. This wasn't turbulence this was something more. The engines were whirring before spluttering to silent. Smoke span out of the engine reaching for the sky as flames burst out engulfing a wing.
1. Chapter 1

Something wasn't right!

It went unspoken around the cabin as the plane suddenly dropped in altitude. This wasn't turbulence this was something more. The engines were whirring before spluttering to silent. Smoke span out of the engine reaching for the sky as flames burst out engulfing a wing.

Prentiss clutching his wrist so hard Reid thought it would break as the descent continued. Wind whistled past them, as the smoke filled the cabin. Reid closed his eyes trying desperately not to recall the odds of surviving a plane crash knowing it wasn't in his favour.

Someone was yelling Emily thought as she listening to the wind howl past the cabin. She tried to listen but couldn't make it out, instead wondered if she would spend the last few moments of her life listening to the screams of the doomed, as the plane plummeted to the ground. Belatedly she realised she was one of them screaming as death loomed closer. Smoke filled her lungs as she coughed brutally.

As the ground loomed in greater details than Emily ever wanted to see from a plane someone pushed her head down yelling brace. She did closing her eyes feeling the salty trickle of tears escape down her face as the sickening jolt of landing and the sound of metal crunching and screaming filled the air as she was ripped from her seat.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was sunny, why weren't the curtains closed? How much had he drank last night? Morgan groaned as he opened his eyes the sun almost blinding him. Immediately he knew that this wasn't his room. His head hurt something awful reaching up he felt something sticky, looking at his hand he could see it was blood and knew he was probably concussed. Through the fog he remembered they were flying, the smoke, the noise, the crash. They had crashed. He jolted upwards at that revelation which only sent him into a dizzy spin. He reached into his pocket his phone displayed no signal. They were in a dead zone. He swore wishing he could throw it away.

From nowhere there was a hand on his shoulder. He glanced up wincing as the light hit his eyes his hand automatically reaching for his gun before remembering he had stowed it in his bag wherever that was. It was Hotch.

"You ok?" Hotch asked, Morgan squinted as the light hit his eyes sending sharp stabbing pain into his eyes. He groaned shielding himself from the light.

"Yeah how is everyone else?" Morgan questioned looking around the smouldering ruins expecting to see the rest of the team he was disappointed when multiple Hotch's danced in front of his vision.

"Just me and you at the moment" Hotch said awkwardly shifting his shoulder it was clear it had been dislocated. His suit was ripped and blood was seeping through one of the many holes.

"Aww man we need to get that back in" Morgan decided, reaching his hands up to get Hotch to help him. With help of Hotch's good arm Morgan stood, closing his eyes to help stop the dizziness as he clutched onto Hotch as the world swam. Once he got his bearings he used the new advantage point to survey the devastation. The plane had been ripped apart with wreckage scattered throughout the forest.

Wordlessly not trusting himself to speak, he moved himself to Hotch's left side gently grabbing his arm. Quickly he relocated it trying to ignore Hotch's screams. It clicked into placed. Slowly he eased off the jacket using it as a sling to support his shoulder. The effort used caused Morgan to spin down to the floor vomiting. Hotch sat next to him rubbing his back.

"Let's go" Hotch ordered, as much as he hated moving Morgan they needed to find the team, who knew what condition they could be in. Although the effort that it took Morgan to relocate his arm was worrying. He slung his good arm around him orientating him to the ground. They found the cockpit first the pilot dead, his head was hanging off a branch his headphones still on his body still strapped into the seat. The radio was clearly broken smashed to pieces. They both knew this was bad news they had no way of knowing if a mayday had been reported or search co-ordinates. They could be stuck here for a while.

Wordlessly they continued their search, hoping for better news from the rest of their team

"Hotch" Morgan called running before his dizziness caught him and he collapsed. Hotch placed him on his side before continuing on, he saw what Morgan had seen the red of Reid's latest sweater vest.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Reid was lying protectively over Prentisss. He was just started to stir his leg sat at a strange angle almost 90 degrees from just below the knee. Below him Emily was conscious just unable to move with the weight of Reid on her.

"Hotch are you ok?" She asked worriedly, helping him to shift Reid off her. Lying by his side.

"I'm fine, pilots dead, Morgan has a nasty concussion, I haven't found the others." It went unsaid that the longer they remained unfound the worse it was. "How are you?"

"Fine, just scratches I think" Emily replied wiping blood off her arm from a scratch onto her pants. Reid stirred again. Hotch helped one handily Prentiss so she with help could stand. She gasped as she did so lowering herself down she lifted her pant leg to reveal patches of burnt skin.

"Oh"

"It looks burnt we'll cover it with this help keep infection out but it doesn't look too bad. We need to splint Reid's leg before he wakes up can you help?" Hotch asked tying a strip of his jacket over it. Emily nodded. While not sterile it was better than the dirt.

Hotch grabbed 2 nearby pieces of the plane both rectangle and perfect for splinting. Emily took off her jacket ripping it into 2. Together they relocated his leg and splinted it. He groaned but didn't wake.

"Can you walk?" Hotch asked. Emily nodded even if her ankle was broken she would have said yes. They hobbled to Morgan he was waking. Once again he had managed to get himself to a sitting position. Between the three of them they stumbled back to where Reid was. They left Morgan with Reid, he wanted to continue but he knew he wasn't able too. He would be better helping Reid. He was still coming too and would certainly have nightmares it had only been 3 days since Hankel and he had just been released from hospital. Reid began to stir again, Morgan shook him feeling something hard and round in his jacket pocket, puzzled he opened it finding a bottle of Dilluid and a syringe.

"Oh Reid" Derek sighed knowing instantly what had happened?

Meanwhile Hotch and Emily limped through the wreckage searching for Gideon, JJ and Penelope.

Through the trees they saw a shape foreign to the wreckage. Nearing they came across Gideon next leaning against a tree his tie wrapped around a wound on his leg where some debris had struck him and was still lodged in. They all knew better than to remove it not knowing what it had struck on the way down.

"Hey" Hotch greeted. "How are you?"

"Just my leg how is the rest of the team?"

"Pilot is dead, Morgan and Reid are banged up were still searching for the others." Hotch relayed.

"JJ was just sitting next to me" Gideon looked around the debris the smoke from the engine made it hard to see. Then out of the flames a figure emerged with another leaning off it.

"There" Gideon pointed wishing he could stand. Hotch ran over the moving jerking his arm but he didn't care. JJ was supporting Garcia both banged up. JJ's bandage from the dog attack had fresh blood leaking though and she was moving stiffly. Garcia had clearly broken her leg not as bad a Reid but nevertheless it was clearly swollen as was her arm which they had elevated in JJ's jacket.

"Thank God" JJ cried "Where are Reid and Morgan?" She asked fear lacing her voice

"There fine" Emily told her.

"Ok we need to stick together. Emily led the way back. I'll support Gideon on this side JJ take the other side and help Garcia" Hotch ordered aware that a lot of weight was being placed on JJ but she seemed less injured than the others.

Slowly they made their way back to Reid and Morgan. Reid had since woke up as they approached they were deep in what appeared a serious topic. Carefully Gideon was lowered down he sat next to Reid, Emily sat the side and Garcia next to Morgan instantly cuddling him.

"Right JJ, Prentiss and I will split up and search the wreckage for anything useful, water, blankets anything that could help our survival. We have no idea if the pilot managed to put out a mayday it could be hours before anyone starts looking"

"Guys were most likely in Adirondack Park its 6.1 million hectares. Even if someone is looking it's a lot of park to search." Reid supplied getting glares from everyone else.

"I guess we better started searching then" Emily said standing up with a groan. "I'll go this way" she pointed to the flattest area of land

"Wait we are splitting up" JJ said astonished with fear in her voice as she gripped where her gun would be eyeing up the dark woods.

"It's the most effective way of searching" Hotch cut off any protests taking the route out of the clearing towards un explored parts of the wreckage as Emily took another path. Not wanting to let the team down again JJ offered no further protest picking the area that looks thinnest with the trees. She was the weak link she knew that Morgan had practically told her that straight. She had let Reid be taken she wasn't going to let the team down again. She passed the pilot vomiting at the sight of him then cursing herself for being weak.

A few metres behind the cabin she found the blankets still intact in their box. Something was going right. Alone she began hauling it back to the others. In the thick woods it was slow progress. Her arm was burning she knew the cut had opened itself up again and was bleeding the bandage was filthy but she kept going ignoring the pain in her arm and her stomach.

Arriving at the clearing Emily was back her ankle having given way Hotch was still gone. She distributed the blankets. Giving an extra one to Reid she ensured they were all wrapped up warm. Hotch arrived back soon after empty handed he gratefully took a blanket. The sun was setting by this point and any further searches would be pointless. The team huddled together in the dimming light shivering in the coolness of the mountain air.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

They were all awoken in the pitch black by a scream, it was Reid.

"He is having a nightmare." Morgan reported "Probably detoxing too from whatever Tobias gave him," he suggested knowing full well he was, while reassured the detox period would be hellish but swift.

Gideon was the one to reassure Reid the father son relationship they had far closer than anything anyone else had. Reid soon calmed down going back to sleep. Morgan and Gideon took up positions either side of him both promising themselves to protect him.

As the group settled down again the noises of the forest echoed around them. Every sound magnified.

Penelope snuggled into Morgan he made her feel safe. Her arm hurt like crazy as did her leg. This was going to majorly cramp her standing in the Tetris world cup but she had survived and Morgan would protect her.

JJ turned away from the group Reid screaming had woken her from her own nightmare the dogs had been attacking again. Even now her breaths came short and shallow as she verged on the edge of panic. Her whole chest felt tight and her stomach ached probably a panic attack she self-diagnosed. She had no intention of going back to sleep instead lying down waiting for everyone to drop back to sleep. As they did she shifted a voice stopped her in her tracks

"JJ"

"Spence" JJ crept towards the group.

"Where are you going?" he asked his voice sleepy

"Just wanted to look around"

"But it's dark" Spencer said starting to wake up

"I know but I can't sleep" JJ admitted quietly

"Nightmares too" Reid guessed

"Yeah those dogs" JJ shivered at the thought but then reprimanded herself, compared to what Reid had been through she had suffered nothing. "How are you doing how is the pain?"

"It's really sorry, hey JJ can you reach Morgan's pocket I think he has a bottle of dilaudid in there I think it would help" Spencer asked, something sat wrong with JJ it didn't seem right the slight desperate edge in his voice the shaking of his hand and the sweating.

"I don't think…" she began. He cut her off his eyes watering,

"Please JJ, it hurts so much the doctor prescribed it."

JJ backed away this didn't sit right, Spencer began yelling as his tremors increased

"JJ please come on I forgave you for getting me into this mess without you I wouldn't be having nightmares you let Tobias get me, why are you letting me sit here in pain? Do you hate me that much?" Reid spat at her alarmed JJ backed away this wasn't the Reid she knew. She woke up Gideon hoping he would know what to do.

He stirred quickly

"I think Reid is in withdrawal" she explained. Although the moon light was dim Gideon with one carefully well trained eye could tell that Reid was.

"Your right, Dilaudid I suspect, it's going to get nasty I need you ready your probably in the best shape out of all of us" Gideon ordered.

JJ nodded this she could tell was going to get ugly fast. Reid was blaming her for his capture rightly so. But Gideon was right apart from her stomach aching which she suspected was now period cramps and her arm which had already been seen to by paramedics, all she had was minor cuts and bruises which was nothing compared to the others.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Spencer was in hell. He was hot his leg shot tendrils of pain across his whole body. He couldn't stop shaking he knew how to stop it just one little shot. Morgan had the vial it would stop the pain. It wasn't an addiction he could stop any time but he had been in a plane crash he deserved a little.

"Please" he begged repeatedly to JJ who steadfast refused him "Please"

His anger began to build uncontrollably, as he spat profanities at her. He tried to bite her scratch her anything that would inflict the same amount of pain she was inflicting on him. In his world only there was only the 2 of them. He did everything he could think of, sometimes other hands appeared from nowhere to restrain him when he got particularly violent.

She ignored them all instead as his desperate pleas turned to tears she comforted him taking him into her arms and soothing him. He found the shakes lessening, the craving was still bad but nestled in JJ's arms he soon found himself rocking to sleep.

As the others slowly woke as the sun rose she edged away from the group. It had been a hellish night Reid had been screaming for most of it only just drifting off to sleep. At one point Hotch and Gideon had held him down to stop him from beating him, next it was Morgan helping to control. Emily had sat up for the last part of the night helping to hold him stopping him from running not that he could or beating them.

Glad to see in the early morning light Spencer looked better a lot less sweaty and wasn't shaking as much. She knew nothing about detox from Dilaudid but hopefully it wouldn't last that long especially after he had only been taking it for a week.

"JJ and I will try to find provisions again searching the wreckage" Hotch decided knowing water would become key to their survival and a first aid kit wouldn't go amiss. JJ stood gasping slightly as a particularly bad cramp took her by surprise

"You ok?" the ever observant Gideon asked having seen her wince wondering why

"Fine" JJ muttered blushing having no intention of telling her boss she was on her period.

She picked a different direction to the day before choosing to go East to where the sun had risen. Hotch chose west uphill hoping he might be able to get a cell phone signal.

JJ began walking keeping careful track of where camp was in relation to her she found more plane wreckage but nothing usable, after walking for over an hour finally she found a water bottle greedily she sipped it before feeling bad. Immediately she vomited shrugging it off as drinking too much to quickly. Nearby a stream trickled through the dense wood. Gratefully she bent over filling the bottle using the water to clean some of the scrapes and scratches. Slowly JJ unwrapped her bandages hissing as the dried blood peeled away from her red inflamed skin. It was obviously infected angry, red, with green puss oozing out between the stitches.

"Damn it" she swore cleaning as much of the puss out of the wound as she could using only the water from the stream and her fingers. Awkwardly she rewrapped the bandage around as well as she could one handed. Next she filled up the water bottle before making her way back to camp careful to remember the way.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Hotch set off uphill determined to try to get a cell signal through. Every 5 steps he waved his phone around waiting for the bars to light up. Each time nothing, soon the path got too steep and he was clamouring using his good arm. Soon he had to give up the rocks too steep to climb over. Dejectedly he was making his way back to camp pondering Hayley and Jack hoping they would be ok without him, not that he thought for a moment that he wouldn't get out. He wondered if everyone else was ok, Reids withdrawal seemed to be through the worst once back he would be required to see a shrink and Hotch would recommend a support group although not his fault he had been addicted Hotch knew he had chosen to continue.

Gideon was the same as him suffering guilt pairing Reid and JJ the 2 most inexperienced members of the team. Sure it was a routine questioning but when had anything been routine. Reid wasn't even an FBI agent and JJ had never been on a raid before only done the training session in cadet training. If they made it out of this alive that would change. It had been a bad pairing by the time they had realised who the unsub was it had already gone south. From JJ had said Reid had run off before she had chance to protest. She had taken the barn but the dogs attacked. With her arm bleeding heavily and being traumatised she had taken cover waited for back-up. What they needed was to get back to the FBI and debrief not be in a plane crash. One agent detoxing another with PSTD everyone else was injured. He hoped JJ understood he was keeping her busy and that Emily understood she was staying at camp to help with Reid. It wasn't beneficial to keep Reid and JJ together or for that matter Morgan and JJ he blamed her she blamed herself. He sat down on an old tree root to think about this screwed up situation. As he leant back something caught his eye the fridge still intact and full of chocolate, milk, alcohol and water.

Using all his strength in his one good arm he dragged it back to camp , arriving JJ wasn't back yet but there wasn't time to worry, everyone sipped the water. Emily started dressing wounds using the alcohol to kill bugs it stung like crazy but it was better than an infection. Gideon and Hotch divided the food ensuring everyone got some and most was saved. As they were debating there next step JJ returned. Automatically he profiled her. She was guarding her arm more holding it closely against her stomach in her right arm she held a water bottle.

"Hey JJ I found the fridge" Hotch told her watching her sit heavily on the floor then wince

"That's great, there is a stream that way I filled up the water bottle fresh." He passed her a share of the chocolate. She took it gratefully nibbling it to make it last.

"Ok after you rest" Hotch ordered, JJ gratefully lay back again careful to shield her arm against her tummy these cramps were getting worse.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Hey JJ we got alcohol from the plane, can I have a look at your wounds" Emily asked crouching next to her.

"Sure" JJ tilted her head to the left so she could dab alcohol on the cut on her forehead. It stung awfully but she kept quiet. Next she unwrapped her bandage on her arm, Emily groaned as she saw it. This was bad.

"JJ this doesn't look good" Emily commented worriedly. Hotch stood up and walked over as JJ looked down. It was angrier than before. Even more puss was leaking out of it despite her cleaning it.

Morgan came over

"It's infected." He reported, he felt her forehead, it felt normal. Although red and inflamed it appeared only local. "Clean it as best as you can" he ordered.

"How is he doing?" JJ asked referring to Reid,

"Better he is through the worst of it" Gideon said from his position next to him.

"No thanks to you" Morgan muttered so quietly only JJ and Garcia heard. Garcia hit him as a response. JJ merely tensed he was right. This was her fault.

As Emily poured the alcohol liberally onto her wound squeezing as much puss out as she could JJ grabbed Garcia as hard as she could.

"Ouch" she moaned.

"Done" Emily replied.

JJ nodded as the pain slowly eased up. "Wow that hurt" JJ commented trying to divert the attention. It worked as she lay down on the grass and Reid woke screaming.

He was there Hankel beating him in that shed again. He hit out feeling soft flesh he hit again hearing a satisfying gasp.

"Reid, Reid its ok your safe" Gideon told him grasping one of his hand. Garcia had the other

"Come on come back to us sweetie" She was whispering with her good arm.

Through the fog of bad dreams Reid heard them.

"Is he gone?" he asked his voice shaking

"He is gone" Gideon confirmed.

"Good" Reid whispered. With help from Gideon he sat up drinking some water, his thirst unquenchable even 2 bottles later.

His mind felt clearer now, although honestly he had no idea the day or where they were at least the fog was clearing.

The drugs they all knew. He felt the shame flush across his face.

"It's ok" Gideon confirmed having read the young genius's face. Reid nodded slightly choosing to lie down wondering how that small amount of effort took so much out of him.

He lay down closing his eyes drifting straight off to sleep.

Hotch watched the group. JJ and Reid were both lying flat Garcia was perched next to Reid clutching his hand, Gideon sat on the other side holding the other hand. Gideon portrayed his normal calm self, Garcia was babbling, she was terrified only holding it together as much as she could. Emily was sat near JJ with Morgan her gaze flittering between JJ, Morgan and Reid expecting something to blow up between them. They needed hope they needed a way out.

"Ok JJ, Emily with me we'll go up high, try get a signal out" Hotch ordered as a way of separating the group.

Without protest JJ and Emily followed him up the hill. Reaching the pile of rocks that he hadn't been able to climb early he stopped. Without saying a word, JJ was eyeing up the best route.

"I can climb it" she said confidently beginning the ascent.

They watched her climb until she was out of view. Sitting on the rocks they waited for her to return Hotch anxiously checked his watch once again. She was taking her time.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 9

JJ climbed ignoring the pain in her arm and stomach that was gradually getting worse. Damn cramps. This was her chance to show them she wasn't useless. Reaching the top there was no signal, swearing she looked round trying to spot something that would help them. The ridge she was on continued some way. Slowly she carefully started walking along the ridge noting the wreckage had spread even up here.

Reaching the end of the ridge she headed into the woods. She was walking looking for signal but found nothing. Somewhere in the forest she heard rustling, then barking. Suddenly she was back in the barn the dogs posed to attack. She reached for her hip her gun was gone. Where had her gun gone? There were more dogs in the background. She knew she couldn't take them all on. She ran. Diving through the forest she aimed for the ridge climbing down. The dogs didn't follow she had escaped for now. More carefully she climbed down Hotch and Emily were waiting at the bottom.

"JJ you ok?" Emily asked noting the rosy cheeks, the sweat, the fast breathing

"The dogs" JJ gasped wildly looking around batting Emily's hand away

"Hotch she is burning up"

"Let's get her back to camp." Hotch suggested. For JJ the dogs continued to chase her, the high fevers causing delusions. At camp they used another bottle of water to cover strips of blankets in water spreading them over her forehead, chest and legs to cool her down. As she cooled down she came back to a more coherent state.

"Did you get a signal?" Morgan asked

"I… no….the dogs" JJ explained not sure what had happened were they even real dogs? Had it been campers or someone wanting to help or had it been her imagination?

Morgan groaned irritated at her as JJ flinched. Half of it was frustration with her but much more was frustration at himself he couldn't even sit up without wanting to vomit, he felt helpless which made his antsy and hit out at others

Garcia sat by Reid watching as her family fell apart. She had enough. She was hurting, fed up, hungry and her make-up was ruined, and that's without even contemplating the fate of her computers whose many parts lay thrown across the ground. The only good bit was that she wasn't alone but the way her team was behaving maybe that wasn't a good thing.

"That is enough. Morgan it was not JJ's fault whatever you think it's wrong. JJ stop blaming yourself it wasn't our fault we don't hate you we love you. We love you too Emily your part of this family, you and Hotch too Gideon stop blaming yourselves they made a good partnership inexperienced but you have to get experience somehow. Nobody knew Tobias was the unsub he was just a witness and he knew the area better than any of you could have. If you had stuck together he might have taken both of you. Reid we all love you and we are going to be there every step of your recovery but if you run off again without your partner again I'm going to put you on a leash" Garcia ranted.

"Kinky" Reid muttered, making everyone laugh. Garcia hit him lightly on the arm, surprised at Reid he had clearly been spending too much time with Morgan.

"Baby girl you can tie me up any day" Morgan quipped. Garcia blushed if only there light flirting was something more.

"Time and place my chocolate God" Garcia replied, glad the tension had eased. Morgan shuffled to JJ,

"I'm sorry I've been an ass" he said. She didn't answer, "JJ…." He shook her again, she moved with his hand but that was it "JJ" he shouted shaking her roughly. "Guys she isn't waking up"

"What she was fine!" Emily replied running over ignoring the pain it caused her leg.

"Woah" Morgan said as he lifted her top. Her whole stomach was black and blue he pressed it finding it rigid.

"Internal bleeding, there is nothing we can do she needs a hospital" Emily told them panic lacing her voice. The word soon went unsaid to the whole group. Garcia felt the tears spill out of her eyes.

"No, no, no, not my girl JJ no," she muttered praying to God she would be ok.

At that very moment they heard barking coming from the woods. It was real the help had arrived.

"No please no" JJ moaned the sounds of the dogs entering her nightmares. Gideon crawled over

"It's ok JJ your safe just hold on your going to be ok, just hold on" he knew how important anchoring her to this life was.

"Were over here" Hotch yelled Morgan and Spencer joining in. The sounds of the rescue crew were growing nearer.

"Just hold on JJ just hold on" Gideon begged, "Listen to my voice"

"Stay with us JJ" Garcia pleaded grabbing Reid's wrist as a life line.

"You can do it girl" Morgan told her confidently.

The rescue workers came through the trees as a helicopter circled above.

"Hey, over here start with here" Reid begged pointing at JJ.

2 of the rescue workers ran to her, the rest split between the rest of the group each triaging their patient.

"Get the copter down, we'll take her and you" he man in charge of the rescue pointed at JJ and Gideon.

"Don't focus on me focus on her" Gideon ordered.

"Sir let us do our jobs" the paramedic pleaded

"Just take him first" he pleaded pointing at Reid. Those words echoed back what he had said to so many victims and their families. They were right, they all needed treatment but Reid needed to go first. He relaxed trusting there care as they inserted drips into his arm.

The helicopter landed slightly to the west. JJ and Reid were loaded onto stretchers. The rest of the team waited with the rescue workers for the helicopter to return. This time 2 came spiriting the whole team to the hospital.

Once there Hotch was the first released, his shoulder had been relocated properly. His cuts and scrapes had been treated at the hospital. His first stop was reception. JJ was in theatre, Reid was out of theatre his leg had been set and plated, Gideon was just going in, Emily was waiting. Morgan was having a head CT and would be operated on pending the results and Garcia was in casting.

His second stop was to the payphone to call Hayley, he knew she would be concerned. After reassuring her that he was well and her promising to drive down his next call wasn't so pleasant ringing Strauss.

"Hello ma'am" he greeted wincing in preparation for the bollocking he was about to receive. Crashing a jet, with the premiere team of the BAU lying broken, in various hospital beds, he knew that emotionally if nothing else they were healing.

"Agent Hotchner it's good to hear from you, we were all so worried. How are you and you team?"

"JJ and Gideon are in the operating room, Reid just got out, Morgan and Prentiss are waiting to go in and Garcia is in casting."

"And how are you?" Strauss questioned

"I dislocated my shoulder but Morgan set it ma'am I'll be fine"

"Good I've arranged for your families to meet you at the hospital, Morgan's mother is flying in from Chicago tonight. Hayley and Jack are being driven up as we speak"

"Thank you ma'am"

"And Agent Hotchner, take good care of them"

"I will ma'am"

Hanging up the phone Hotch decided to check on Garcia first since once her ankle and arm were set she would be the most awake.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 10

He walked into casting making sure nobody knocked into his shoulder. The collar and cuff helping with awareness, so nobody bashed into him. Inside the casting unit he spotted Garcia both of her casts were bright pink with a blue walking shoe sat on her foot. A physio was helping her to walk with a gutter frame. On seeing Hotch she hobbled over.

"How are my babies?" she demanded to know.

"I'm about to find out are you cleared" Garcia nodded glaring at her physio.

"Yes Sir she can but only if she uses a wheelchair for long distances and although she can walk on that leg she needs to stay off her arm as much as possible."

"I will make sure of it" Hotch promised grabbing a nearby wheelchair. As Garcia sat in it he realised his problem he couldn't push her and she couldn't wheel herself luckily a nearby passer-by was on hand to help.

"Here where are you off too?" She asked

"Surgical floor please" Hotch asked.

"Oh good me too" She said, "I'm visiting my husband damn fool nearly took his hand off with a drill"

"Ouch" Both Hotch and Garcia winced.

"Yeah I wish this was the first time he'd done something so stupid" The woman moaned as they entered the lift. On the way up she told them more of his exploits by the time they exited both of them were laughing at her pain. She deposited them at the reception.

"Spencer Reid is in room 103, Derek Morgan is in 153, and Jenifer Jareau is booked into the high dependency unit. Emily Prentiss is in the burns unit and Jason Gideon will be in room 104"

"Thank you" Hotch said silently asking Garcia who she wanted to see first.

"Morgan" Garcia begged. Hotch nodded asking a passing nurse to push them to his room, Morgan was sat up his head wound neatly bandaged.

"Hey baby girl, hey Hotch" he greeted. "How are you both?"

"Discharged how about you?" Hotch replied

"Concussed but it's not too bad I'm just waiting my discharge papers as long as I stay with someone" Morgan said as if waiting for a cue and nurse walked in with papers.

"Well your mum is flying in soon with your sisters so I don't think that will be an issue"

"Remember take it easy, don't overdo it and practice those mental exercises we gave you" the nurse lectured. Morgan nodded. He stood up Hotch helping him using his good am to balance him. He gripped onto the handles of the wheelchair for support.

Arriving at Reid's room Hotch entered first.

He was propped up on the bed, oxygen prongs resting in his nose. Although he was covered in blankets poking out of them at the bottom were pink toes wrapped up in a cast. Sitting next to his bed was a machine displaying his vitals bleeping softly. An intravenous line ran fluids into his arm.

"Hey, how you feeling?" Morgan asked parking Garcia and sitting heavily on the chair next to the bed.

"Better my leg isn't hurting nearly as bad as it did how is everyone else?" Reid asked watching as Garcia reached into her handbag and pulled out a packet of coloured pens. Wordlessly each person was given a pen, naturally Garcia took pink, Morgan was given green, Hotch blue. Each wrote their name, as Hotch told Reid the state of the others.

"I'm glad they're going to be ok," Reid replied sitting up more to observe what Garcia and Morgan were writing on his cast.

"Have they said when you can be discharged?" Hotch asked

"Bed rest today and physio tomorrow if I do ok with crutches I can leave tomorrow." He smiled having already mastered crutches previously.

"Great, that's fantastic, I know you don't have any family to stay with so you can stay with us" Hotch said. Reid smiled awkwardly, staying with Hotch would be useful with his impairment with his leg but with a young kid and those two love birds it would be awkward.

"Nah Reid will stay with me, my mother will love him" Morgan said, knowing the genius would at least deflect some of the attention off him making it almost bearable.

"No way you have to bond with your mother" Reid said not wanting to be babied like that not by Morgan's sisters and his mothers.

"Please, Garcia is already" Morgan pleaded

"I am"

"Please baby girl you know I can't deal with my mother and my sisters by myself" Morgan begged. "And you know there is no way you can get up those steps like this"

"Well your mother does make the best pie" Garcia easily conceded and with that it was settled.

The nurse interrupted them,

"I need to do Spencer's observations now" she half asked half ordered.

"We will leave you too it, JJ will probably be out of surgery now" Hotch decided.

"I'll stay" Derek decided truthfully feeling to dizzy to walk for long periods of time.

Derek perched on the chair beside Spencer's bed.

Awkwardly Hotch pushed Garcia's chair out of the room, JJ's room was down the corridor.

Entering the room Garcia gasped. JJ was so pale she almost matched the sheets. Fluids were running into her arm and an oxygen mask sat on her face. One her wrist sat a clean dressing stretching from around her thumb to her elbow. She wasn't awake when they came in so they sat either side of the bed each grasping a hand.

"JJ" Garcia called as she stirred

"Penelope" JJ whispered,

"I'm here JJ"

"Good, we still crashed?" JJ questioned

"Yeah but we are safe now," Hotch insisted

"We survived" Garcia added

"Good" JJ whispered her strength failing as she slipped back to sleep knowing her team was safe.

"She'll be sleeping for a while now" a voice from behind them made them jump. A nurse had entered and was writing on a chart the observations on the monitor. "Your friend Agent Gideon is out of recovery too,"

"I'm staying with JJ" Garcia insisted holding JJ's hand tightly.

"Ok, I'll check on Gideon" Hotch decided secretly glad not to be pushing the heavy chair.

He walked down the now familiar corridors of the hospital, stopping at Spencer's room to let them know JJ was out of surgery.

Next was Gideon's room. He was sitting up reading when Hotch walked in.

"We made the front page" he remarked lowering the paper. Hotch took it studying it closely. It was a photo of the wreckage of the plane. Looking at it again Hotch thanked the Gods for letting them survive.

"Wow" was all Hotch could say looking at the photo.

"Yeah its one hell of a sight, everyone ok?"

"Yes banged up were just waiting on Emily coming out of surgery, Morgan Garcia and I have been discharged, Reid should be tomorrow. JJ I don't know how about you?"

"2 days as long as it doesn't get infected, I'm on intravenous antibiotics in case it is infected."

"That's good." Hotch eyed something on his bedside in a plastic bag.

"That's what was in my leg, I'm told its part of the wing." Hotch dropped the bag sharply while shocked how large it was really. It was a miracle really he was as well as he was.

A physio walked in holding crutches.

"Thank you" Gideon greeted taking them off her.

"Are you going to be ok to walk" Hotch checked, Gideon nodded

"Well hop" Gideon corrected. On wobbly legs he stood with both the physio and Hotch helping. Soon he was hopping around like a pro.

There first stop was Spencer and Morgan. Spencer was lightly catching up on lost sleep Morgan didn't look much better slumped in the chair dozing. They left quietly so not to disturb them. They passed Emily being wheeled up from theatre on the way to JJ's room so detoured there.

"Hey" Emily greeted, "How is everyone?" she asked her leg elevate on a pillow with her toes sticking out from under a dressing.

Hotch gave her the run down.

"What about you?" Gideon asked as a doctor entered

"Miss Prentiss, I'm Mr Rhodes plastic surgeon I operated on you" he eyed up the other 2 men in the room.

"Hello, its ok they can stay" Emily insisted

"Ok well I wanted to explain we weren't able to do the skin graft yet but we did a washout and debridement, erm basically gave your leg a good clean out and got rid of the dead tissue."

"When can I get out of here?" Emily asked

"Well that depends, we'll need to give you antibiotics as there are signs of infection already. Plus we will need to reassess in a few days if it needs a skin graft. We are looking roughly at 2-3 weeks"

Emily groaned it was like a nightmare. 3 weeks stuck in this small room. The doctor winced, smiling apologetically. He had the feeling it was going to be a fun 3 weeks for the nurses. He left Gideon following he had a plan.

When JJ woke up again she was feeling a lot better. The intense pain in her stomach was a lot better and her arm no longer felt like it was burning. Opening her eyes to soft beeping she spotted her best friend dozing on the chair.

"Hey" she whispered, mustering all her strength to get that out surprised that it didn't hurt her tummy when she spoke.

"Hey, I'm mad at you" Penelope told her

"Huh, why?" JJ asked confused wondering if she had said something out loud when she slept. Then she remembered seeing help and thinking it was Tobias attacking them again.

"Oh"

"Don't you 'Oh' me missy, why didn't you tell us we might have been able to do something, at least help"

"Sorry I didn't know, I mean I did but I thought I was at the barn and…." JJ trailed off remembering the panic

"What?" Penelope questioned, "JJ you are making it really hard for me to be mad at you"

"Sorry"

"Wait what are you sorry for?" Penelope asked really confused

"Making you mad"

"I'm not mad that you ran from the dogs, I think after what you went through in that barn it was natural, I'm not mad at you because you and Reid separated I easily think it could have been you Tobias took. I'm mad at you because you forgot to mention that you were bleeding internally and practically dying" She shouted the last bit.

"Oh" JJ replied falling silent wondering how to explain why she hadn't told them. "I thought it was period pains, then it got worst but I was the only one who could climb and walk to get help and I didn't want to let everyone down" She looked away slightly ashamed

"JJ you could never let us down. Unless you do something this stupid again then I swear I will wipe you off the virtual planet" Garcia threatened.

"And we will let her" Hotch said from the door. Gideon close behind.

"Damn right" Gideon agreed, "You have nothing to prove blondie"

"And if we ever find your hiding injuries from us again we'll have to take action," Hotch warned.

"Even if it's just a paper cut I want to know" Garcia insisted.

"Ok, but for the record I didn't think it was this serious" JJ apologised.

"Another hour and you'd be dead" a nurse interrupted, "Sorry but we need to move you to another room" She ordered as an orderly and a few other nurses came in and with expert efficacy unhooked the monitors pushing JJ out. Another nurse collected Garcia and indicated for Hotch and Gideon to follow.

They entered a room larger than the other. Behind the drawn curtain near the window they could hear raised voices.

"No daughter of mine is sharing a room, I will simply not hear of it! Who knows what freak or weirdo might be staying in here"

"Mother its ok they need the other room" a voice they all recognised replied sounding frustrated

"Emily" JJ and Penelope shouted as Hotch pulled the curtain back

"JJ you're ok, wait were rooming awesome" Emily squealed

"Ambassador" Hotch nodded respectfully,

"Agent Hotchner, it is good to see you again. I believe your wife is looking for you. Agent Gideon there was a young doctor who I believe wanted your company." The ambassador informed them. Both quickly excused themselves anxious to see their loved ones. With reassurances from Emily and JJ that it was fine they left. Elizabeth was next as her phone rang. Lastly Garcia excused herself as Morgan's sister came to collect her to take both of them home.

As it turns out both Emily and JJ were released on the same day. A private ambulance was charted for them both to drive them to Washington. Once there Emily was dropped at her mother's house, JJ was dropped at home where her mother was waiting.


	10. Chapter 10

Hotch was the first one back at work after just a week off, Derek was next sneaking Garcia in both desperate to escape his family. Despite Hotch seeing them both he let it go with the condition they both went to the mandatory pysch sessions. Gideon was back next having spent 2 weeks at the cabin with Sarah and Reid. Reid flew to Las Vegas to see his mother returning just 3 weeks after the accident. He had to go to 5 sessions with pysch instead of the 3 everyone else had to attend but he did so willingly. Emily and JJ returned together just 5 weeks later both seeing the pysch in there time off.

After 6 weeks of consults the whole team was getting itchy feet desperate to go out on a case. Then one day JJ got the call. A police department in Texas had a body count of 10. They needed a consult urgently. This was it a case that they needed to fly to, and since the unsub was wiping computers Garcia would undoubtedly be needed. Nervously JJ rounded up the team.

They sat around the round table for once the table was quiet as everyone contemplated the mission ahead.

"Let's go" Hotch ordered.

Each one of the silently grabbed there go bags, each was new reminding them once again of the crash. Everything did.

They drove as normal to the airfield. A brand new jet sat on the tarmac sparkling.

"Wow" Morgan whistled

"The jet malfunctioned so the company had to replace it" Hotch explained.

Gideon was first on it, impressed at the neutral décor he picked a seat nearest the door. JJ, Emily and Garcia were next taking 3 of the 4 seats near the kitchen. Reid joined them on the 4th seat with Morgan stretching out on the 2 on the other side. Hotch sat opposite Gideon. The pilot came in one of the ones from the FBI pilot pool he confirmed the flight plan.

Normally during take-off there would be joking, gossip or a case review this time there was just silence.

It was Reid who broke the silence.

"You know the chances of being in a plane crash is 1 in 3.4 million, now take into account the fact our planes have the best pilots and servicing record in 1 in 13 million, so the chances of us all being in a plane crash again is 1 in 5 trillion." He said, the team remained silent for a few seconds

"You know Reid…." JJ began, "I think that actually reassures me" she decided. 5 trillion to one. Those were odds she could live with.

They were odds they could all live with.


End file.
